Lands’ End Heritage Tour Recap

This post is sponsored by Lands’ End.All content and opinions are my own.

My tour dates: September 14th, 2018 to October 5th, 2018. To see a map of the places I stopped, scroll down to the bottom of this post!

From the sweeping valleys of the Driftless Area to a quaint little village on the banks of the St. Croix, these last few weeks on the Lands’ End Heritage Tour have been a whirlwind of adventure. My trip began on a sweltering September afternoon near Hudson, Wisconsin. There to greet me was a 25-foot long Airstream trailer, designed to look like the Lands’ End Seagoing Duffle, an iconic carry-all bag first sold in the 1970s. Sunlight danced off of the bright blue exterior and two Adirondack chairs were perched out front. I clambered into the Airstream, eager to see the inside and begin my adventure.

The interior was a perfect mix of both classic and modern design; shiny aluminum lined the walls and light-colored cabinetry curved elegantly throughout. Sunlight streamed in through the rounded windows and navy blue cushions decorated the seating area. The kitchen was stocked with an assortment of Wisconsin-made products, from jams to pickles to wine. I made my way through the kitchen and past the bathroom, noting the endless amount of hidden storage spaces. At the back of the Airstream was the bedroom – a cozy space with surrounding windows and a queen bed piled with pillows.

I kicked off the tour at a small horse ranch just outside the city of Hudson. I spent three days exploring the grounds, photographing the sunsets, and taking in the serenity of the countryside. One of my favorite nights was when my mom and I took a sunset stroll around the property, stirring up a few monarch butterflies on our way.

The first few days flew by and before I knew it, we were packing up and heading to our second location – Highland Ridge Campground! Just seven miles from the tiny town of Spring Valley, Highland Ridge was where I’d be stationed for the next two weeks of the tour. Driving into this campground made me feel like I was entering a whole different world. The park is heavily wooded and the entrance to the campground is a thick tunnel of trees. The leaves were just starting to turn color so the place was aglow with yellows and greens. After parking the Airstream and getting everything situated, it was time to start exploring!

Right down the road was Cady’s Cheese Shop, where we sampled some cheeses and brought home a few of our favorites (I would highly recommend the green onion jack cheese!) On one of the more rainier days, we went underground to Crystal Cave, Wisconsin’s longest cave. It was a one-hour guided tour where we learned all about the history (and we even saw a bat!)

We visited a number of farms while in the Spring Valley area, the first being Maple Leaf Orchard. The people here were absolutely delightful. They personally took my parents and me out into the heart of their orchard, letting us wander around and take photos. At one point, a friendly barn cat came bounding towards us looking for some attention. He was the spitting image of my childhood cat, Thomas, so I stayed to pet him for a while 🙂

Another farm that we visited was Schultz’s Country Barn. From an impressively-intricate corn maze to a huge country store to little baby goats, this place is the ultimate destination for a fall-themed day. We arrived here one evening to try our hand at the elaborate corn maze. We were handed a map in order to help navigate our way through from start to finish. Confident in my corn maze skills, I tucked the map into my back pocket and sauntered through the entrance.

…pretty sure I went in a circle for about five minutes before sheepishly pulling the map back out again.

The last farm we went to while in the Spring Valley area was called Together Farms, an organic farm nestled into the valley with gently rolling fields stretching out in every direction. As we made our way down the gravel driveway, I could instantly hear the hum of activity. Music from a live folk band filled the air, kids dashed around the property, and newborn piglets squealed with delight. It was Burger Night on the farm and the place was bustling with excitement.

After getting permission from the owners, we took a sunset stroll up and over one of the fields. We came across a flock of sheep and they stood there frozen, staring at me for a solid four minutes. Maybe they thought I was one of them in my white Sherpa fleece? 🤔

The next few days I opted to explore within the city limits instead of the country. One afternoon, I took a trip to River Falls with my parents and found the Swinging Bridge. Another day, I went into Eau Claire to watch the parade for the International Fall Festival.

While I had a number of these more structured outings planned throughout the tour, there were also a number of spontaneous golden hour adventures mixed in. One of my favorites was a trip down to Maiden Rock – a gorgeous bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. I filled the picnic basket with some of the Wisconsin-made treats from the Airstream and we watched the sunset from the cliff.

Another golden hour adventure included an early morning sunrise shoot. I grabbed my coffee and zipped up my fleece, prepared for that crisp, cool air. Fog hung low in the valley and the sky was clear, making for some beautiful country scenery.

After two weeks of exploring the Spring Valley area, it was time to head to our final destination! As a toast to our stay at Highland Ridge, we decided to cook a good, hearty meal around the campfire. My parents set up their tripod and kettle, and together we cooked a delicious stew. Halfway through our meal, an owl perched nearby and we listened to it hoot for the rest of the evening!

It was September 30th when we arrived at our third and final location – Willow River State Park. We set up camp at Site #117, a gorgeous spot with towering trees in a park-like setting. I absolutely loved this campsite and I would definitely return! There are a number of hiking trails at Willow River, one of which leads you down to Willow Falls.

The following day, we made a visit to Lily Springs Farm, a place that utilizes a permaculture design as a way to restore and maintain natural habitats. The property surrounds Mud Lake, with a stately white farmhouse and a few red barns. I really enjoyed listening to their story and learning more about this sustainable way of farming.

With only two days left of the Heritage Tour, I headed north to explore Interstate Park, Wisconsin’s oldest state park located along the St. Croix River. There are 12 hiking trails to choose from, all of which are under three miles long. I would highly recommend checking out Summit Rock Trail, a 0.5-mile loop that brings you up to an incredible view of the river gorge. It was a dreary day when we hiked up to this overlook and when we made it to the top, the rain had stopped and the river had a thick layer of fog above it.

From there, we went into St. Croix Falls and explored the downtown area.

For the last day of the tour, we headed back up north to Osceola where we went on a 90-minute fall foliage train ride on the Osceola and St. Croix Valley Railway. We boarded the historic train at 11:00 am and it rumbled slowly down the tracks, giving us a view of the gorgeous fall colors. We explored the various railcars and even walked all the way back to the caboose!

After the train ride, we meandered around Osceola’s historic downtown. This charming little town has been awarded the designation of a Preserve America Community which recognizes the town’s efforts in using its historical resources for economic development and community revitalization. It’s one of only eleven Wisconsin communities to receive this award!

On the morning of Friday, October 5th, I gathered up my belongings and took one last look at the Lands’ End Airstream; my home away from home for the last three weeks. It was such a memorable way to explore our beautiful state of Wisconsin and to showcase the Lands’ End fall collection.

This partnership with Lands’ End was truly a dream come true and I’m extremely honored to have worked alongside such a renowned Wisconsin-based company.

To learn more about the Heritage Tour and to see where they’re headed next, click here!